Support for tents and canopies.



C. HONEYCUTT. suwom' FOR mus AND CANOHES.

APPLICATION FILED DEC-18. 19H.

Patented Feb. 26,1918.

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WILLIE C. HONEYCUTT, OF COATS, NORTH CAROLINA.

SUPPORT FOR TENTS AND CANOPIES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 191%.

Application filed December 18, 191?". Serial No. 20?,72 l.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIE C. Home? com, a citizen of the United States, residing at Coats, in the county of Harriett, State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Tents and Canopies; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement in tents and canopies and has particular reference to a support for the tops thereof.

It has been found, in tents and canop es of ordinary construction, that some material of which the same are made is subject to changes in atmospheric conditions, there be ing decided contraction thereof during rainy and damp weather which often times, results in the material being torn away from the top fastenings and also loosening of the stakes which secure the bottom of the tent to the ground. Under other weather conditions, the material expands and becomes loose causing the tent to flap when the wind is blowing.

In order to overcome the above objections, in the present invention, to provide a support for the top of the tent which will relieve the strain on the material at'the connection thereof of the support when said material contracts and which will take up the slack when the material expands.

It is further proposed to provide a support of this character which is simple in construction and which may be produced at a minimum cost so that the ultimate cost of a tent or a canopy will only be slightly increased.

The inventive idea involved is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the purpose of illustrating the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation of the support constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is atop plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view thereof showing the position of the parts when the material of the tent has expanded.

4 is a similar view showing the parts in position when the material has contracted and also showing the upper end of the tent secured to the support, with the usual hood in dotted lines.

The drawing illustrates what is now believed to be a preferred form of the invenion which comprises a rectangular frame or base 5 made of wire or rod and which is secured in the usual manner to the upper ends of the sides of the tent or canopy 5 as shown in Fig. 4-, and which is positioned horizontally when the tent is set up. Associated with the frame is a cap or top plate 6 of smaller dimensions than the frame and having a central opening 7 for receiving the upper end of the tent pole 8, said plate and pole supporting the usual hood 8 which covers the support and overlaps the upper end of the tent.

Preferably connected to the plate 6 at intervals around the periphery thereof are adjacent ends of coil springs 9 the other ends of which are connected by hooks 10 to the loops 11 formed at the corners of the frame 5 and under normal conditions these springs are tensioned slightly SO as to draw upwardly and tauten the sides of the tent which are secured to the frame 5. Chains or other flexible elements 12 are also con nected to the frame 5 and plate 6 at the points of connections of the coil springs 9 and normally these chains remain slack. On the other hand, should the material of which the sides of the tent or canopy are made contract owing to damp or rainy weather, it will be seen that a downward pull will be exerted upon the frame 5 and thus expand the springs 9 and the strain which would otherwise be exerted upon the material where the same is fastened at the top of the tent pole would be relieved thus preventing the material from being torn from its fastenings. lhis expansion of the springs 9 may continue until the slack has been taken up in the chains 12 which are sufficiently loose under ordinary circumstances to permit of considerable contraction or shrinkage of the material. Should the material expand, under other weather conditions the sides of the tent would ordinarily become loose and consequently flap cured to the sides adjacent the when a wind is blowing but in the present construction, .any loosenings of the sides would be taken up by the contraction of the springs 9 and in this manner the sides of the tent would at all times remain taut.

What is claimed'is:

1. In a tent, the combination of a support for the top thereof including a frame secured to the sides adjacent the top, a cap plate adapted to be mounted upon a tent pole, and resilient means connecting said frame and cap plate and operable to relieve the strain. upon the sides of the tent at the top thereof when the sides contract and take up the slack in said sides when the same exand. p 2. In a tent, the combination of a support for the top thereof including a frame setop, a cap plate adapted to b mounted upon a tent pole, resilient means connecting said frame and cap plate and operable to relieve the strain upon the sides of the tent at the top thereof when the sides contract and take up the slack in said sides when the same eX- pand, and flexible elements connecting said frame and cap plate for limiting the action Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, by addressing the of said resilient members when the sides of the tent contract.

3. In a tent, the combination of a support for the top thereof including a frame secured to the sides adjacent the top, a cap plate adapted to be mounted upon a tent pole, and coil springs connecting said frame and cap plate and operable to relieve the strain upon the sides of the tent at the top thereof when the sides contract and take up the slack in said sides when the same expand.

at. In a tent, the combination of a support for the top thereof including a horizontally disposed frame to which the upper edges of the tent are connected, {1 cap plate mounted upon the tent pole, and resilient means connecting said frame and cap plate to maintain the sides of the tent tautened and provide a support for the hood of the tent.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

lVILLIE C. HONEYGUTT.

lVitnesses JAS. B. LEE, C. W. Bowns.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

